Means for receiving mail and other matter on aeroplanes while in motion



1 I y 1933. H. F. STILWELL 48 MEANS FOR RECEIVING MAIL AND OTHER MATTER ON AEROPLANES WHILE IN MOTION Filed Aug. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zlwuwntow May 30, 1933. s w 1,911,248

MEANS FOR RECEIVING MAIL AND OTHER MATTER 0N AEROPLANES WHILE IN MOTION Fil ed Aug. 26, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 30, 1933 UNHTED STATES PATENT oFFicE HENRY F. STILWELL, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS MEANS FOR RECEIVING MAIL AND OTHER MATTER ON AEROPLANES WHILE IN MOTION Application filed August 26, 1929.

while the latter is in flight.

It has heretofore been proposed to suspend a rope or cable from an aeroplane while the latter is flying, and to provide the lower end of the rope with means to cooperate with a guideway and package support, for permitting the aeroplane to pick up packages without stopping the flight of the. plane; and the primary object of the present invention is to improve such means.

Another object of the invention is to provide the ground portion or guide of such an apparatus with extensible arms designed to support flag poles or the like, functioning as indicators for the aviator. In my invention,

- these arms are foldable against the base of the guide to facilitate storage.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the above character, in which the guide for the depending cable is provided with flexible or pivoted arms adapted to loosely support the package trap, whereby said trap will automatically release itself from the pivoted arms, regardless of'the pulling force or direction exerted by the suspended cable.

A further object is to furnish a cable trap designed to support mail bags, parcels or the like, and provided with automatic locking means for positively preventing the cable from accidentally detaching from the trap after it once interlocks with the latter.

with the package supporting trap.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ground portion of my apparatus and showing a cable Serial No. 388,547.

suspended from a flying aeroplane while the cable is being guided into the package supporting trap. In this view, the size of the aeroplane is greatly reduced relatively to the ground portion of the apparatus, to facilitate illustration.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the front portion of the cable chute or guide, and showing one of the pivoted arms which supports the package carrying trap.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the upper portion of the front of the guide or chute.

, Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cable Windlng mechanism and locking pawl, which is arranged on the aircraft.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view 011 the line 55 of Fig. 4;.

Fig. 6 is a similar view on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the cable trap viewed from the rear, and with its jaws in closed position.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of a fragment of the jaw locking means of the trap.

Fig. 1.1 is a perspective view of the rear end of one of the trap arms or levers.

In the drawings, 12 indicates the ground portion of my apparatus, and 18 an aircraft, such as an aeroplane.

The ground portion of the apparatus comprises a base 14 adapted to rest on any suitable supporting surface, and provided with 8 vertical walls 15 which converge toward their front ends, and are connected at such ends to vertical posts 16. The top edges of the walls are inclined from the tops of the posts toward the leading end 17 of the base. To assist the aviator to guide his plane properly relatively to this'guideway, arms 14a are hinged to the rear end of the base 14:, and each of these arms carries a post 140, supporting a flag 14d. When the arms are swung outwardly from the sides of the base, as shown in Fig. 1, these flags form indicators to assist the operator of the aircraft in bringing the aeroplane to proper position to cooperate with the ground portion of the ap pafiatus. A cable or rope 18, which may be suspended from the aircraft, is provided at its lower end with a weighted enlargement or abutment 19, which, when the aircraft is flying over the guideway, is adapted to be guided by the walls 15 into the trap 20, for the purpose of attaching itself to such trap and lifting the trap as well as the load 21 which it supports, out of engagement with the guideway. For this purpose, each post 16 is provided at its upper end with a horizontal aperture 22, in which the horizontal portion 23 of a pivoted arm 24 is fulcrumed. The arms 24 project forwardly in spaced parallel relation from the post 16, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the horizontal portion of each of these arms is extended to form an Lshaped element or extension 25, the lower portion of which abuts against the front face 26 of the post, and thus supports the arm 24 in a substantially horizontal position. However, as the portions 23 are pivoted in the holes 22, the arms 24 may swing as indicated in Fig. 2. so that the trap 20 will be properly pulled 6a of these arms more or less regardless of the pull exerted by the cable 18.

The load supporting trap which is to be transferred from the ground portion of the apparatus to the aircraft, is best shown in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, and it comprises a frame 27 which is preferably made up of upper and lower plates 28 and 29, which are spaced apart by a central member 30, and are held in assembled relation by a number of bolts. Two of these bolts 31 form vertical pivots for the jaws or levers 32, which are arranged to rock toward and away from one another between the plates of the frame. Stops or abutments 33 are also pivotally mounted on a pair of the bolts 34, and they function to limit the opening movement of the end portions 35 of the jaws or levers. These end portions are grooved as shown at 36, and when the jaws are opened, these grooves receive the arms 24 of the ground portion of the apparatus, and in this way, the trap is detachably mounted on the ground portion of the apparatus. The closing movement of the aws is limited by stops 37, which may also be formed by some of the beforementioned bolts, and cooperate with notches 38 in the levers 32.

Springs 39 bear at their inner ends against the spacing plate 30, and at their outer ends against the levers 32 for the purpose of closing the end portions 35 of the aws as soon as the latter are withdrawn from the supporting arms 24. Obviously, when the trap is supported by the arms 24, these springs yieldingly hold the levers 32 in engagement with said arms.

With a View of positively locking the jaws in closed position after they have moved from the dotted line position shown in Fig.

9, to the full line position of that figure, I have provided the end portions 40. of the jaws with vertical pivot pins 41 which are connected by toggle links 42 and 43. These links are pivotally joined at 44, and the link 42 has at its inner end a projecting lug 45 hat is designed to abut against a transverse surface 46 of the link 43 to temporarily prevent the opening of the jaws while the trap is being elevated with its load into the aircraft. The toggle latch or lock is operated by means of a coil spring 47, one end of which is connected to the spacing block 30, and the other end of which is secured to an car 48 on the inner end of the link 43. The jaws may be unlocked by simply flexing the toggle links into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 9. r

The plates of the trap frame have notches at their rear ends, as indicated at 49, to receive the cable or rope 18, and to prevent the rope from slipping back and forth in these notches after the jaws are closed, each jaw is provided at its inner side with a leaf spring 50. A flat end of each of these springs is secured by any suitable means, such as a screw 51, to its respective jaw, and the opposite hook-shaped end 52 of the spring may move back and forth in a recess 53 which is cut into the inner face of the jaw.

As best shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, the aircraft is equipped with a winding shaft 54, which is rotatably mounted in supporting plates 55, and is provided with a handle 56. The winding drum 57 is fast on this shaft, and arranged between the plates 55; and the cable 18may be wound on such drum. The operator turns the handle 56 to unwind the cable and lower the Weight 19, and as he does this, he winds up a coiled spring 58 which has one of its ends secured to the aircraft at 59, and its opposite end secured to the winding shaft, as indicated at 60. Consequently, after the weight 19 is lowered, and it has detached the trap and its load from the ground portion of the apparatus, if the shaft is released, the spring 58 will unwind and cause the drum 57 to wind the cable 18 and lift the load into the aircraft.

For the purpose of locking the drum in any desired position, the winding shaft is provided with a fixed ratchet Wheel 61 that c'ooperates with the tooth 62 of a manually operated pawl 63 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 64, carried by one of the plates 55. The lower end of the pawl is weighted, as shown at 65, and consequently, when the pawl is released from the ratchet wheel, it moves into a vertical position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The pawl is latched in position manually, but it is desirable to have it automatically disengage the ratchet wheel. Consequently, the teeth of the ratchet wheel have curved surfaces .67, which extend outwardly from the inner end of one tooth to the outer end of an adjacent tooth, viewed in a counter-clockwise direction. Due to this construction, whenever the rope 18 is given a sudden erk, the curved surface 67, when the ratchet wheel turns in the direction of the arrow, will throw the pawl outwardly from the full line position, to the dotted line position of Fig. 6, and as the ratchet wheel is no longer locked, the coiled spring 58 may immediately unwind and thus wind up thecable and lift the load.

To enable mail bags, packages or the like to be attached to the trap, the latter is preferably provided with a T-shaped suspended bracket 68, having apertures 69 through which hooks or loops on the load may be placed.

From the foregoing description it is believed that the operation of the invention may be readily understood, but by way of reiteration, it may be stated that when the apparatus is to be used, the ground portion may be set up at any suitable location, and then the arms 14a may be swung out to bring the indicator flags ltcl to their proper stations. Then, mail'bags, parcels or the like 21 are attached to the bracket 68 of the trap 20. Afterwards, the toggle links 42 and 43 of the trap are swung into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 9, so that the jaws are opened sufficiently to permit the arms 24C to be inserted into the grooves 36 for the purpose of supporting the trap and the load at the upper ends of the posts 16, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Assuming that the ground portion of the apparatus is set up in this way, then as the aircraft flies over the delivery station, the operator of the aircraft turns the handle 56 to lower the weight 19 a suitable distance, and then he locks the winding drum by means of the pawl 63. Now as the plane fiies forwardly, guided by the flags 14d, the trailing weight 19 may be brought into the guide way, which will direct the cable 18 into the jaws of the trap. As soon as the cable has entered the jaws, the weight 19 will begin to rise, and in such movement, the arms :24 will allow the trap 20 to swing into the angle of pull directed by the cable. Then, as soon as the weight 19 strikes the underside of the trap, the latter wi l be pulled off the arms 24, due to the fact that the weight 19 is too large to pass through the notches 49. Immediately the trap is pulled off the arms 24, the springs 39 and spring 47 function to close the aws, and at the same time, the toggle latch L2, 43 comes into play and positively locks the jaws in closed position.

As the rope moves into the jaws, the leaf springs 50 will be depressed, but as soon as the jaws close, these springs come together as shown in Fig. 9, and thus prevent the rope from moving back toward the free ends of the jaws.

As soon as the weight 19 strikes the underside of the trap 20, the rope 18 will be jerked downwardly, and this will cause the surface 67 of one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel to throw the pawl outwardly, so that the spring 58, immediately unwinds, and in doing so, winds up the cable 18 of the drum 5? and elevates the trap and load into the aircraft.

I am aware that various changes may be made in the details disclosed, without dcparting from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for delivering mail or the like from a relatively stationary surface to a flying aircraft, including a cable guideway, a trap to connect with said cable after the latter is directed into the trap by said guideway, spring influenced jaws carried byv the trap, and movable meansincluding asupport, swinging arms extending from said support and fitting in sockets formed in the ends of the jaws for supporting said trap.

2. Apparatus for delivering mail or the like from a relatively stationary surface to a flying aircraft, including a cable guideway, a trap to connect with said cable after the latter is directed into the trap by said guideway, spring influenced jaws carried by the trap, and movable means supporting said trap, said movable means including pivotally mounted arms fitting in sockets formed in the adjacent ends of the aws.

3. Apparatus for delivering mail or the like from a relatively stationary surface to a flying aircraft, including a cable guideway, a trap to connect with said cable after the latter is directed into the trap by said guideway, spring influenced jaws carried by the trap, and movable means supporting said trap, said movable means including arms pivotally mounted at one end of the guide.

way and fitting in sockets inthe adjacent ends of the jaws.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a ground portion comprising a guideway, a cable trap adapted to carry a load and detachably mounted at one end of the guideway, arms pivotally mounted at the sides of the guideway, and flag posts carried by said arms.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a cable guideway, supporting arms arranged at one end of said guideway, and a cable trap having spring pressed jaws formed with sockets to receive said arms for supporting the trap.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a cable guideway, supporting arms arranged at one end of said guideway, and a cable trap having spring pressed jaws engaging said arms and formed with sockets to receive the arms, said trap including means for locking the jaws in closed position.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a cable guideway, supporting arms arranged at one end of said guideway, a cable trap having spring pressed jaws engaging said arms, and means for limiting the opening and closing movements of said jaws.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a cable guideway, supporting arms arranged at one end of said guideway, and a cable trap having spring pressed jaws formed with sockets in their adjacent ends to receive said arms, the trap including a toggle link lock for holding the jaws in closed position.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a cable guideway, supporting arms arranged at one end of said guideway, and a cable trap having spring pressed jaws engaging said arms, said trap including pivotally connected toggle links having pivotal connections with the aws. and a spring for yieldingly holding said toggle links in alignment for locking the aws in closed position.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, a cable guideway, supporting arms arranged at one end of said guideway, and a cable trap having spring pressed jaws engaging said arms, each of said jaws being provided on its inner side with a leaf spring, said leaf springs cooperating to form a barrier between the jaws when the latter are closed.

11. A trap for use in transferring mail or the like from a relatively stationary surface to the cable of a flying aircraft, comprising frame, aws pivotally mounted within the frame, means at one end of the jaws to facilitate the mounting of the same on supporting arms, toggle links pivotally connected to the other ends of the jaws, a spring connecting the toggle links to the frame and tending to hold the toggle links in alignment, and springs for forcing certain ends of the jaws toward each other.

12. A trap for use in transferring mail or the like from a relatively stationary surface to the cable of a flying aircraft, comprising a frame, jaws pivotally mounted within the frame, means at one end of the aws to facilitate the mounting of the same on supporting arms, toggle links pivotally connected to the other ends of the jaws, a spring connecting the toggle links to the frame and tending to hold the toggle links in alignment, and springs for forcing certain ends of the jaws toward each other, each of said jaws being provided with a leaf spring, the leaf springs, when the jaws are closed, forming a barrier between the jaws.

13. A cable trap for use in transferring loads from a relatively stationary supporting surface to a flying aircraft, comprising a frame, means on the frame to facilitate the attachment of a load to the trap, pivotally mounted jaws carried by the frame and adapted to grasp a cable, springs yieldingly forcing the jaws into closed position, and means for positively locking the jaws in closed position.

14. An apparatus for delivering mail and other commodities to a flying air-craft, comprising a cable guide-way having converging side walls with the converging ends spaced apart for exit of a cable received in the guideway, arms pivotally supported at the dis-- charge end of the guide-way, a cable trap embodying spaced apart horizontally disposed jaw members pivoted to swing towards and from each other and formed with sockets to receive said pivotally mounted arms for supporting the trap, means for exerting an outward tension on said jaw members, and abutments to limit the movement of the jaw members under the created tension.

15. An apparatus for delivering mail and other commodities to a flying air-craft, comprising a cable guide-way having converging side walls with the converging ends spaced apart for exit of a cable received in the guideway, arms pivotally supported at the discharge end of the guide-way, a cable trap embodying pivoted jaws having their adjacent ends formed with recesses to receive the pivoted arms of the guide-way to support the trap, springs for influencing the jaws to yieldingly grip the trap supporting arms, and means for releasing the cable trap and lifting the trap and load carried by it for delivery to the air-craft, said means including a cable provided with a weight suspended to engage the cable trap to release it from its support and lift the trap and its load to the overhead air-ship.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HENRY F. STILWELL. 

